Peter von schmidt



P. VON SCHMIDT.

Ore Weisher.

Patented Oct. 16, 1849.

PETER VON SCHMIDT, OB NEW YORK, N. Y.

FFC

ORE-WASI-IER.

T0 all wlwm z' may concem:

Be it known that I, PETER VON SCHMIDT, of the city, county, and State of New York, hzwe invented new and useful Improvements in Machinery for Vashing Gold and Separating It from Foreign Substances, and that the following is a .Eu1l, clear, und exact description of the principle or character of 1ny invention Which distinguishes it fro1n all other things before known and 0f the manner of making, construeting, und using the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part 0f this specification, in Which Fig1ire l, is a p1an of the machine, Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section, Fig. 3, an elevation 0f the maghine as seen from the lower end, Fig. I, longitudinal section of the rotating screen, Fig. 5, cross sect-ion of the same, and Figs. 6 and 7, enlarged views 0f the rockers and rubbing chains.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

In my improved machine the earth sontaining gold and ot-her foreign substances, with a stream 0f water is fed from a lhopper into the small end 0f a rotating screen, Which is perforated with small holes for the passage 0f the particles of gold, sand, earth, and other foreign substances Which are sufliciently small t0 undergo the Washing process. As these substances pass through the meshes of the screen they fall into a semicircular trough and are carried down t0 the lower 01' delivery end by Spital blades on the periphery of the screen, and as the screen is conical the delivery end 0f the troug'h is lower than the receiving encl, which conducts them to the washing trough.

T0 facilitate the separation of the gold from the foreign substances and to insure their passage throngh the meshes, there is a series of vibrating rockers with chains suspended 130 them which drag on the inner surface of the. screen. These rockers are attached to arme projecting downward from a central shaft 011 which the screen is hung, and turns, and the eonneetions are such that the rocking of the shafo imparts an intermittent rotary mot-ion t0 the screen. The

supply 0f water should be sufficient 130 canduct the rubbing action of the chains on the substances under treatment under water, for the particles of gold which adhere to slate and c1ay can only be thoroughly separated by friction under water. The large stones and lurnps not suflieiehtly reduced to pass through the meshes 0f the screen move toward the large end 0f the screen und are there arrested by a ring near the end, and then they pass through large holes in the periphery of the screen, and enter another chamber in whichthere are angular troughs that carry them up by the rotation until they are delivered 0ut through holes in the outer periphery of the chamber and fall into an inclined ahnte, frorn Which they are taken to be further reduced, and again carried through the screen.

As the fine particles which have passecl through the meshesof the screen are delivered from the trough through a spout they fall into a rocking screen which discharges the 1arger partieles Which are of such size that the lumps of gold can be sepa rated by an attendant 2'1s the mass moves down an inclined chute, but all the fine particles pass through the screen and are de- 1ivered into the upper end 0f an inclined washing trough, the cross seetion 01 Which is the segment of a circle. This trough is divided into any desired number 0f compartments. by ribs, and in each 0f these compartments there is a rocker with drag chains which, as the rockers vibrate drag 0n the bottom of the trough.and have the effect 0f separatingthe finest particles of gold from the earthy substances t0 which they are attached. The rockers are all attached t0 a rock shaft above by which they are all operated simultaneously. The bottom of the trough is formed with longitudinal grooves which 1ie ab right angles to the motion of the rockers and which Will therefore constitute receptacles for the partieles of gold Whieh pass into them by gravity.

In the accompanying drawings (A) and (B) is a frame purposely adapted to the purpose, anal (C) a platform for the attendants who are to supply the machine With the substances t0 be operatecl upon. In this platform is formed a semicircular trough (O) in which the rotating screen (E) works, the shaft (I) of the screen is sustainecl ancl turns in boxes at each end.

The screen is macle of cast lron 0f a 0011ical form, anal a little more abrupt at the receiving encl. It is sustainecl and turns freely on the shaft by arms (18, 18, Fig. 4) near each end, ancl its periphery is pierced with numerous small holes of about of an inch in diameter. The substances to be separatecl together with a stream 0f water are introclucecl into the small encl of the screen through a hopper (I). There are arms (19) projecting from the shaft, to the outer encls, 0f which is attached a bar (20) scallopecl out along the lower edge, as at (21,) to form what I clenominate the screen rocker ancl to the projecting parts of the scallops are attached clrag chains (22,) which hang 011t0 the inner periphery of the screen.

As the shaft is vibrated, to move the rockers by the application of the requisite p0Wer the chains clrag on the surface of the screen, ancl procluce friction in passing arnongthe substances t0 be' separated and as the particles 01: gold aclhere with considerable force t0 lumps of clay, slate, and 0ther substances, this rubbing action of the chains has the efi'ect to procluce a thorough separation. The rocking of the shaft at the same time is macle t0 impart an intermediate 1'0- tary motion to the screen by a band or pawl (10) jointed to an arm (11) on the shaft, Whi0h takes into ratchet teeth 0ri the inner periphery of a. ring (9) which forms the delivery encl 0f the screen. The particles 0f matter, such as stones, which cannot pass through the meshe's of the screen, when they reaeh the ring (9), pass 0ut through large holes (24,) in the periphery 0f the screen, ancl enter an outer chamber formed arouncl ancl at the encl of the screen, ancl this chamber is cliviclecl by partitions (26,) ancl (27) into as many compartxnents as there are large holes (24:), in the periphery 0f the screen, ancl the angles formed by these partitions are such, that by the rotation 0f the screen, in the clirection 0f the arrow the stones are carriecl up and finally deliverecl through holes (25,) in the outer periphery of the chamber (G,) after having passed 0Ver the highest point, and clrop into a spout (17) which conducts them 0nto an inclined chute or enclless apron (18,) to be concluctecl 0]:l Slowly that the attendant Inay receive any large lumps of golcl Which 1nay have passecl.

The partieles of matter which have passecl through the meshes of the screen irito the trougih below are graclually movecl toward the delivery end 0f the machine by the inclination 0f the bottorn of' the trough, the current 0f water, and mainly by a series o:f

spiral blades (I-I) on the periphery of the screen, ancl vvhen they reach the delivery end they pass down an inclined ahnte (R) and are deliverecl onto a shaking screen (T,) the shaking 1notion 0f which throws off the large particles onto the inclined chute 01" apron (18), that the attendant may separate by band any large lumps of gold which may have been carried through, but the finer particles pass through the meshes of the screen and drop onto the upper end of an inclinecl Washing trough (W), the bottom of which in its cross section, is the segment 0f a circle, and it is dividecl into a number 0f compartments by transverse ribs 01' partitions (X) which, as the current 0f water passes clown with the particles 0f earth, Sand, g0ld, &c., have the eflect to retain the heavier particles, anal permit the lighter ones t0 wash over.

There is a rock shaft (Y) above with a series 0f foclzers (l) projecting down from lt, one for each division of the trough. The lower encl 0f these rockers are made double, as shown at (2,) Fig. (7) and the lower edges of these are scalloped as shown at (3) Fig. (6) ancl then t0 these are suspended ehains (4) which under the working motion drag 011 the bottom and have a rubbing as well as stirring actionon the substances under treatment, Which tends to separate the most minute particles 0f gold from foreign substances that they may fall by gravity into a series of longitudinal grooves' (Z) in the bottom of the trough, so thatwhen loclged there the chains will not act on them. The middle part 0f the division piece (X) are made separate and fitted in by dovetails so that after the. machine has been sto ped they can be removed to collect the gold W hich has been colle'cted. The rock shaft (Y) has hancl levers (5) attached to lt by which it is operatedby band, and at the inner or upper end it has tw0 arms (6, 6,) which are connectecl by j0int links (8, 8,) with tw0 arms (7, 7,) on the rock shaft of the screen, so that by imparting the required rocking motion t0 the rock shaft of the washing trough, the requirecl rocking motion is given t0 the rock shaft of the screen, and from this the requirecl intermediate rotary motion to the screen.

The required motions may be gi"en by other means, as the simple mechanical comnection 01 the moving parts, does n0t Constitute any part of What I claim as my invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The rotating screen, substantially as described, in combination with the rockers and drag chains within it, substantially as described.

2. I also claim the rotating screen with the 4. And finally I claim the longitudinal 10 grooves 0r chambers in the bottom of the trough and at right angles to the motion of the rockers ancl in combination with such rockers, substantially as described.

PETER VON SCHMIDT.

spiral blades 011 its outer periphery in combination with the' trough in which it works, and through which the substances delivered by the meshes 0f the screen are made t0 5 pass, substantially as described.

3. I also claim the washing trough wit-h its compartments, in combination with the VVitnesses: rockers and drag chains, substantially as de- M. GRANDIN, scribed. C. W. M. KELLER. 

